Flies for the big day

chstrcntyfish

chstrcntyfish

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Joined
Jul 21, 2007
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265
Haven't been on here in a while, but a couple of minutes of reading got me infected with the disease again...I got to thinking about opening day and decided that I need to start tying some flies again. So far the flies I can tie(or atleast try to) are the pheasant tail(BH and regular), Hares ear(BH and regular), BH prince nymph, scuds, comparaduns, midges(subsurface) and I might have tried a couple more, I can't remember right now since I haven't looked at the fly box lately. What other flies should I attempt for the stocked fish? I haven't really FF'd stockers before since I started FF back in the summer and my training grounds were at valley creek. I tried once in the fall but got sick of watching them swim up and down a big pool and left...

Also, one other thing is...I NEED HELP WITH WOOLY BUGGERS!!!!! For some reason I just couldn't get the ribbing on without smashing the hackle. What is the secret? I was wrapping the hackle from the hook eye back, and then ribbing it the opposite direction from the bend up. I have seen a few different techniques searching google though. And while I'm on the subject of hackle, When I tie the prince nymphs, my hackle either faces toward the hook eye or sticks out every direction.

I know that I stuck alot of questions in there, but I didn't want to start multiple topics. Any help would be appreciated.
 
Just work the ribbing back and forth and it'll work in. It takes some effort. Read the method I listed on the bugger swap page for my recipe. It's the best way to tie em imo.
 
I don't rib my buggers. It the hackle gets bitten through, I simply fixe the fly by cutting off the old hackle and tying in a new one (this is one fly that you don't have to be too picky on sloppyness)
I wrap my hackle from teh back to the eye however; being sure to start with the hackle tip and finishing with the webby fibers near the eye.

As far as the prince nymph goes, there are a couple ways to add legs. One is taking the hackle fibers and tying them along the sides of the fly. The other way, wrapping around the shank, make sure the dull side is facing back to the tail of the fly at all times. If they are sticking all over, push them back firmly with your fingers. Sometimes being too wild isn't a bad thing, especially for stockers.
 
I found your description of how to tie the bugger, and thats exactly how I tried to do it. I guess I'll just try working in the ribbing before pulling it tight and going to the next wrap. As far as early season flies, I found the other post discussing this so sorry for posting it again, but I have no knowledge of hatches at all and would like some advice on what to tie as far as easy patterns for "around here" that I can try. I have a feeling I am going to be really confused the first time I try and fish dry flies.
 
Keep constant tension on the wire, and waiver it back and forth. It'll work into the hackle.

As to the different flies, start with grays early (bwo), move to browns, then as the weather gets warmer, the colors get lighter. That's a general rule of thumb.

With caddis, just catch one (they are clumsy). Their body color varies.
 
I rib all my buggers now and I tie them backwards. Tie in the tail, take the thread to the eye, tie in the chenille or other body material, then the hackle from the base, all behind the eye. Take the thread to the bend, wrap the body material to the bend, tie off and clip. then the hackle to the bend, tie off and clip.and then weave the thread up to the eye using a back and forth (east to west and west to east) as you move to the eye and build up a head.

This method does a number of things....

1, Your buggers last longer, hackle don't bust as easy.
2. The hackle doesn't twist when wrapping it.
3. You will NEVER crowd the eye.
4. you can spin them up alot faster not messing with the hackle or worrying about the eye getting that last wrap of hackle.

I used to always try to get that last wrap of hackle near the eye and it would always crowd it. No more.

You can add crystal flash after the body and before the hackle on both sides too.

Give it a shot.
 
Mo,

That's basically how I do it. Did you ever try to sub in a length of wire for the rib? It's a bit more durable, and adds a little weight and flash. Just tie the wire in at the tail, and keep the thread at the eye after you tie the hackles and chenille in. Tie them off at the bend with the wire, then rib the fly. Your thread will be there waiting for you to tie it off.
 
I tie them forwards...tie in everything at the bend and then wrap the body, the hackle and then the rib opposite the direction of the hackle...occasionally the hackle will unfasten or break...so I just tie it in behind the head like a collar rather than start over...I just finish the ribbing then tie in a a new heckle behind the head and finish...I almost always tie with a bead anyway so crowding the head doesn't exist...
 
chstrcntyfish wrote:
Also, one other thing is...I NEED HELP WITH WOOLY BUGGERS!!!!! For some reason I just couldn't get the ribbing on without smashing the hackle. What is the secret? I was wrapping the hackle from the hook eye back, and then ribbing it the opposite direction from the bend up. I have seen a few different techniques searching google though. And while I'm on the subject of hackle, When I tie the prince nymphs, my hackle either faces toward the hook eye or sticks out every direction.
Click to expand...

Easy Wooly Bugger
 
Wrapping and overlaying with wire doesn't really keep the hackle from being bit through, just unwrapping all the way. So if the hackle does get slashed, it would still need to be replaced.

Beside, how many buggers do you guys carry, probably more than one, so if one, or even two, get chomped, you probably have a back up.
 
I am going to try some buggers now. I am going to try the method where I tie everything in at the bend and just tie off the hackle at the eye. That way I can skip the ribbing for now. I really wish I could post some pictures of my flies to get some tips. Too bad the camera doesn't auto focus on small items like that...I will try again.
 
Yeah they still get bit through. They are more durable though. Meaning, You can continue to use them even after the hackle begins to come off. They still haveparts connected. They look a little ratty but who cares.

I cary loads of buggers but that doesn't mean I am going to tie them any less durable.
 
Mo,

I was thinking you could still use them with the ribbing. Too me it's just a step I'm willing to fore go.

chstrcntyfish,
Does your camera have a macro mode (usually depicted with a flower icon). If so, push that button, or use that setting, and the camera will shift its focus to a small area upto about 2 centameters from the lens.
 
I think it does have that setting I'll try and take some pictures tomorrow.

Next question- When I tie in the marabou I can't seem to make it look the way the ones I bought look(as far as the marabou itself goes, not the whole fly). When I pull out a new feather, it seems so big for the size 12 buggers i have been tieing. If I use the very tip of the feather, the tail doesn't come out puffy enough. I was tieing in the tips, cutting it off and then tieing in the next part of the feather to try and get it puffier, but then there is a big stem in the back making the tail stiff. Is it my marabou or just my technique?

Anyway, I tied four buggers. They all looked bad overall. I will fish them next month before I judge them officially. But on the last one I went all out and got a little carried away. It was white(all of mine are) with a gold bead and flashabou in the tail, gold tinsel in the tail, and before I wound the hackle on, I ribbed it underneath the hackle with gold tinsel. I know I took the easy way out with the ribbing but I was feeling like I should add some flash in there....That thing looks pretty intense, crappy, but intense.
 
With the marabou, do 2 soft wraps around the thick part of the feather, but tight enough that the feather stays on the top of the hook, but loose enough that you can move the feather. After you wrap, grab the stem and slide the feather to the desired length. (I wrap lead wire at the front of the hook, about half way back, then
I trim the marabou where it reaches the back orf the wire -- this makes an even body, without being too large in the back, tapering to the head.)
This should give you a puffy tail, trapping the fluffy feathers farther down near the stem, but still only tying down the thin part of the stem.
 
Ok, here are the ones from yesterday...take a deep breath before looking. It gets ugly this is just a sample of why i'm afraid to fish my own flies.
 
im assuming you can tell what they are.
The tail on the GRHE is off color but since I used hares ear dubbing from the bag I didn't have any fur so I just used hen hackle. I think ONE of my problems is that I make everything out of proportion, either too long or too short. Not to mention everything is sloppy. The only one I really like is the PT is actually looks good in person(better than my store bought ones, because they were size 18, the tier must have just winged them) My PT's are size 14, HE-size 12, BHPN-size 12, WB-size 12, scud-size 14(Caddis style hooks smaller than other styles??), Comparadun- size 18(I crammed on too many materials, because it looks like a size 12), zebra midge-size 20. I also tied variations of the different flies, with bead heads and different colors on the midges.
 
here ya go, try starting here.
 
They will still catch fish no matter what they look like.!!
 
One suggestion for the hare's ear, PT, and scud, don't be afraid to start back farther on the hook. I try and use all of the shank.

But other than that, they look good.
 
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